Finding the perfect plain white tee is a little bit like falling in love: When it finally happens, you just know. (We’re speaking from experience: this week, we at Highsnobiety released our own white T-shirt in collaboration with the storied Swiss clothing brand Zimmerli.) But searching for “the one” can resemble a full-time quest of its own. Whether you like your white tee boxy or fitted, carefully layered, or standing alone as a sartorial workhorse, we’ve rounded up the white tees most worth closet consideration and scored them on what matters to us: how they feel (softness), how they set themselves apart from their competitors (details), and how many ways there are to wear them (versatility). After all, don’t we all want something special that will truly last? 

Price: $110 for two 

Material: U.S.-grown cotton 

This is a highly intentional tee. “They’re dialed in on the collar,” says Highsnobiety News Director Jake Silbert. “There are guys for whom this is the perfect T-shirt because they want it narrow.” Fashion Director Sebastian Jean notes that the binded collar is a detail that makes for a retro sportswear look. And there are no side seams, which is always nice. Softness-wise, it’s the kind of shirt you’ll happily break in. 

Price: $125

Material: Peruvian Pima cotton

For something simple but undoubtedly high-end, Handvaerk makes a tee that can be worn in any context. The handfeel of this shirt is what sets it apart: it’s borderline silky without being too delicate thanks to the pima cotton. “I only have one of these T-shirts, but if it’s Monday, and I know I’m going somewhere special on Friday, I save it for Friday,” Jean says. So if there was ever a special-occasion white tee, this is it. (And if you’re able to stock up on a few of them for everyday use, more power to you.) 

Price: $110 for two 

Material: 200 grams per square meter cotton jersey

Lovers of a tight neckline will find plenty of satisfaction with the jjjound white tee, whose cut makes it exceptionally good for layering. “In certain situations, it presents itself more like an undershirt than a standalone tee,” Jean says. It delivers on its promise of strong ’90s energy. “You look at it and you’re like, ‘Okay, these are reminiscent of those vintage T-shirts you find in the army surplus store,’” Jean adds. Plus, it comes in a pack, which also feels delightfully period-specific.

Price: $19.95

Material: cotton jersey 

There’s a perfect softness and a cooler-than-expected neckline on this time-honored standby, though we wouldn’t confuse it with an investment tee. As Jean puts it, this is one of those shirts that feels super fresh out of the bag — and maybe it stays that way after a wash or two.

Price: $195

Material: cotton jersey 

We are big fans of Margaret Howell: the woman, the myth, the legend. And her T-shirt is no exception. It has a tighter collar that borders on a mock-neck, plus a boxier fit and a tag that feels artful and substantial. To Silbert, there is no better sleeve. This one falls perfectly at the elbow without verging into “wizard sleeve” territory, as he puts it. “Proportionately, it’s a hot tamale,” Silbert adds. 

Price: $19.90

Material: SUPIMA® cotton

The T-shirt and general wardrobe staples giant does a nice, simple number in Supima, a proprietary brand of American-grown pima cotton. This tee has “undershirt” written all over it (you wouldn’t want to wear it alone), but honestly, that might be what you’re looking for — in addition to being an incredible bang for your buck. 

Price: $44

Material: cotton 

Skims’ T-shirt is surprisingly soft and extremely accessible, equally fine layered or on its own. In our book, it’s a strong contender for a sleep shirt, thanks to that broken-in feel that you don’t always get from 100%-cotton T-shirts. On the flip side, it’s also a worthy toss-on-and-go option for errands. It kinda does everything though, like a true jack of all trades, it doesn’t necessarily stand out, either. You may very well count that as a plus.

Price: $120

Material: organic cotton 

This is the T-shirt snob’s T-shirt, rich with the kind of nerdy details that make it as much a conversation piece as a daily driver. The fabric is slow-woven in Germany on ancient machines of organic fibers, making it durable and even recyclable (!). And the fit is classic, with concise armholes, trim sleeves, underarm inserts intended to amplify movement, even while the narrow cut is meant to encourage layering. “It’s the kind of T-shirt you wear to let people know that you’re wearing this T-shirt,” Silbert says. 

Price: $29

Material: shrink free garment dye cotton

“This is one of those T-shirts you wear with a pair of jeans and a Rolex Submariner, and that’s the fit,” Jean says. It’s thick, it’s substantial, it’s got a satisfying neckline and a reliable boxy fit. It’s not the softest tee you can find, and no, you can’t really layer it under anything except maybe a big hoodie, but that’s the point. It’s just really good.

Price: $140

Material: 95% cotton, 5% elastane  

The 5% elastane gives this shirt a more stretch than a pure cotton version. It also makes it denser, i.e. less breathable, but probably not in a way you’d notice while wearing it. We’ve deemed this tee less versatile because the collar means it doesn’t sit nicely under another top, and because the tag at the bottom is a little too noticeable for our taste. Best paired with a pair of aviator sunglasses, a big gold watch, and a yacht. 

Price: $74.50 for five 

Material: cotton 

There’s plenty of value with this classic CK five-pack. “Where you’re on vacation in Miami and run out of white tees,” this is what you buy, Jean says, speaking from experience. The neckline is wider, making this a classic undershirt. 

Price: $16.99 for two 

Material: cotton 

There’s a lightness to Fruit of the Loom’s Eversoft line that epitomizes its intent. These are not tough tees but soft options intended to feel like a second skin, making them perfect round-the-house choices. The band of grey running across the yoke gets points for feeling bespoke, and its fabric claims to block UVA and UVB rays, which isn’t bad for less than twenty bucks. 

Price: $350 for two

Material: Cotton

We love Japanese brand Sacai’s offering as a hero T-shirt — one that can stand on its own. It’s on the narrow side for a T-shirt, with a thicker collar. And its tag is Sacai’s distinctive design, which scores points for brand-wide consistency. It’ll break in nicely with wear. 

Price: $11

Material: 60% Recycled Polyester, 30% Cotton, 10% Rayon

A Hanes Originals T-shirt feels different from any old white tee you might pick up at Target. As Jean puts it, “There’s Kraft mac and cheese, and then there’s Velveeta. This is Velveeta white cheese.” The collar is a perfect middle ground: not too thin and not too thick. It’s decently soft. You wouldn’t look silly wearing it by itself. The tag is still sewn in rather than being pressed on, but the font feels elevated, and the brand name is separate from the size. “For the price point,” says Jean, “I think it was a considered tag.” 

Price: $140

Material: 100% long-staple Japanese cotton

Literary Sport gets points for “interesting seams,” which help to subtly curve the neckline of this soft, boxy tee. This shirt is also one of the more versatile, being appropriate for all-around wear or even, as the brand name implies, gentle sport. It may be 100% cotton, but its quality and weave grants it a level of technicality — as technical as an organic material can be, at least — when it comes to breathing easily and drying quickly. 

Price: $125

Material: 67% TENCEL™ Lyocell, 33% pima cotton

T-shirts are just another product that CDLP does exceptionally well; we have it on good authority that some of the brand’s best customers order dozens of them shipped to their second homes or summer villas. The shirt is made with TENCEL™ Lyocell, a fabric derived from wood pulp, and is silky soft, not too thick, with a silhouette that’s “not boxy to the point of altering the fit of whatever you put over it,” Jean says.